4901:1-6-09
Eligible telecommunications carriers.

Pursuant to
47 U.S.C.
214(e), upon request and
consistent with the public interest, convenience, and necessity, the commission
may, upon application, designate a CETC where that applicant meets the
requirements of 47 U.S.C.
214 ,
47 C.F.R.
54.201(d) and 47 C.F.R.
54.202. The commission may subject such designation of CETC authority to
additional conditions consistent with the public interest, convenience, and
necessity.

(B) In order to be designated a CETC pursuant to
47 U.S.C.
214(e), a facilities-based
telephone company must:

(1) File an application with the commission demonstrating
its compliance with all federal and state CETC and lifeline requirements
pursuant to 47 C.F.R.
54.201 to 209, rule 4901:6-19 of the
Administrative Code, where applicable, and this rule.

(2) Telephone
companies not previously designated as a CETC and requesting CETC authority,
shall file the application for CETC designation with the commission using the
most up-to-date telecommunications filing form and must include all completed
exhibits as required by the filing form. Commission staff will maintain a
current, updated copy of the filing form with the list of CETC required
exhibits. The most recent version of the form will be posted on the
commission's website. An application for CETC designation shall be filed under
a TP-UNC case purpose code and shall not be subject to an automatic approval
process. Rather, a CETC designation can be granted only by a commission order
approving such request.

In order to be eligible for federal
universal service funding in any given year, all ETCs, i.e., incumbent local
exchange carrier ETCs and CETCs, must comply with the following annual
reporting requirements:

(1) No later than August thirty-first of each year, an ETC
receiving high cost funding must file an affidavit with the commission stating
that all federal high-cost support provided to the carrier for service areas in
Ohio will be used only for the provision, maintenance, and upgrading of
facilities and services for which the support was intended pursuant to
47 U.S.C.
254(e).

(2) No later than
August thirty-first of each year, or a date otherwise designated by the
universal service administration company (USAC), an ETC receiving lifeline
support must file a completed copy of the federal communications commission
(FCC) annual lifeline certification and verification affidavit, that is
submitted to USAC, with the commission.

(1) The commission may revoke, consistent with commission
and FCC rules and regulations, an ETC designation if it finds that the company
has failed to comply with any state or federal ETC requirements, including the
failure to pay all corresponding assessments.

(2) An ETC may seek
to relinquish its ETC designation for an area pursuant to
47 C.F.R.
54.205 through the filing of a nonautomatic
application with the commission under the case purpose code TP-UNC. An ETC will
not be relieved of its ETC designation until the commission issues an order
granting the request.